Car-coupling



(No Model.) 2SheetS-Sheet 2.

'H. O. BUHOUP.

GAR COUPLING.

No. 566,057. -Patented Aug. 18, 1896;

FIG. 3

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: NORRIS PETERS (10.. PHOTO-LITHQ. wnsumofrm, w. c,

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

HARRY C. BUHOUP, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS, ASSIGNOR TO THE MCCONWAY & TORLEY COMPANY, OF PITTSBURG, PENNSYLVANIA.

CAR-COUPLING.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 566,057, dated August 18, 1896.

Application filed January 25, 1896.

To all whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, HARRY O. BUHoUP, a citizen of the United States, residing at Ohicago, in the county of Cook and State of Illinois, have invented or discovered certain new and useful Improvements in Oar-Couplers, of which improvements the following is a specification.

Considerable difiiculty is frequently experienced in opening the knuckle of the J anney or swinging-hook type of coupler. This is especially the case in winter when the coupler becomes clogged with snow and ice. Various means have been suggested for. knuokle-openin g, but being usually combined with the mechanism for shifting the locking pin or block suflicient power cannot be applied to easily effect both operations; and, further, the locking block or pin is also frequently clogged with snow and ice so that it can be shifted only with considerable difficulty.

The object of the present invention is to provide means entirely independent of the locking mechanism whereby any desired force can be applied to the tail of the knuckle for the purpose of shifting it to open position.

In the accompanying drawings, forming a part of this specification, Figure 1 is a sectional plan view of a J anney type of coupler having my improvement applied thereto. Fig. 2 is a sectional elevation, the plane of section being indicated by the line II II, Fig. 1. Fig. 3 is a view similar to Fig. 1, the pin being omitted; and Fig. 4 is a sectional plan showing a spring for shifting the pin to open the knuckle.

The coupler, consisting of the head 1, knuckle 2, tail-piece 3, and locking-block at, is constructed and arranged in the usual or any suitable manner. Through the side wall adjacent to the tail of the knuckle is formed an opening through which a pin can be pushed so as to bear against the tail of the knuckle. The opening is preferably located so that a pin inserted through it will bear against the tail adjacent to its end, thereby increasing the efliciency of any power applied to the pin. It is preferred to increase the thickness of the wall of the coupler around the opening,

Serial No. 576,766. (No model.)

so as to provide an efficient lateral guide for the pin.

As a pin adapted for use in shifting the knuckle cannot be always readily found, it is preferred to arrange a pin 5 in the opening. This pin is provided at one end, and that, by preference, the inner end, with a head 5, formed integral with the pin, and on the opposite end with a head 6, detachably secured on the pin by a rivet or other suitable means. As the pin will usually be shifted by the foot, it is preferred to roughen the outer face of the head 6, so as to prevent the foot slipping off.

If desired, a spring 7 may be arranged around the pin between the head 5 and the side wall of the coupler for the purpose of forcing the knuckle open whenever unlocked. This spring should not, however, be of such strength as to materially interfere with the closing of the knuckle. As shown in Fig. 2, a spring may be arranged between the outer head 6 and the coupler head for returning the spring to normal position, so that it will not interfere in any way with the closing of the knuckle.

I claim herein as my invention- 1. The combination of a coupler-head, a pivoted knuckle or swinging hook, means for locking the knuckle in closed position, and a pin loosely mounted in the wall of the head and provided at its ends with heads, one of which is removable, said pin being adapted, when forced inwardly, to shift the knuckle from closed position, substantially as set forth.

2. The combination of a coupler-head, a pivoted knuckle or swinging hook, means for locking the knuckle in closed position, a pin independent of the knuckle lock loosely mounted in and projecting outside of the wall of the head, for shifting the knuckle from closed position and a spring for shifting the pin, substantially as set forth.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand.

HARRY O. BUHOUP. 

